Attraction
MASP – Museu de Arte de São Paulo
São Paulo's best-known art museum, raised above Avenida Paulista on Lina Bo Bardi's suspended concrete structure and holding more than 8,000 works from Raphael to Portinari.
Museu do Ipiranga
The University of São Paulo's history museum in an 1890s palace near the spot where independence was proclaimed, reopened and enlarged in 2022 after nine years of work.
At a glance
- Type
- History museum
- Area
- Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Monday) · 10:00–17:00
- Official site
- museudoipiranga.org.br
Good to know
- Gardens
- Shop
- Auditorium
- Lifts
- Group bookings
Why we recommend it
The Museu Paulista of the University of São Paulo, universally known as the Museu do Ipiranga, stands near the Ipiranga brook, where Dom Pedro I is said to have proclaimed Brazil's independence in 1822. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Tommaso Gaudenzio Bezzi, chosen in 1884, and built between 1885 and 1890 as a monument to that event. About 123 metres long, it is a fine example of the eclectic style. The museum opened to the public on 7 September 1895, Independence Day.
Its most famous possession is Pedro Américo's painting Independência ou Morte, finished in 1888, which depicts the proclamation and is the centrepiece of many visits. The wider collection is made up of furniture, documents, maps, artworks and photographs, including images by Militão Augusto de Azevedo, Guilherme Gaensly and Werner Haberkorn, which document the city's past.
The museum closed in 2013 for restoration and reopened in September 2022, in time for the bicentenary of independence. The work added about 6,000 square metres. The new entrance sits at the level of the fountains in the Parque da Independência and holds a reception, education rooms, a shop, an auditorium and a temporary exhibition room; a tunnel and escalators lead up to the historic hall, and lifts now make the building accessible. Eleven exhibitions cover themes such as Uma História do Brasil, Passados Imaginados, Territórios em Disputa, Mundos do Trabalho, Casas e Coisas and A Cidade Vista de Cima, along with displays of toys, coins and medals.
The gardens in front of the palace were laid out by the Belgian landscape designer Arsenio Puttermans in 1909 and redesigned in the 1920s, and they form part of the Parque da Independência. They are a pleasant place to walk before or after a visit.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00, and the ticket office opens at 9:00. Tickets are bought through the museum's website, and groups must book in advance. Allow at least two to three hours, as the exhibitions are extensive. The museum is away from the central sights, so it is worth combining the visit with a walk in the Parque da Independência.
Museu do Ipiranga FAQs
When is the Museu do Ipiranga open?
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00. The ticket office opens at 9:00.
How do I get tickets?
Tickets are sold through the visit page of the museum's website.
Can groups turn up without booking?
No. The museum does not admit groups without a prior booking.
What is the most famous work?
Pedro Américo's 1888 painting Independência ou Morte, showing the proclamation of independence.
When did the museum reopen?
It reopened in September 2022, after closing in 2013 for restoration and expansion.
Is the museum accessible?
Yes. The 2022 works added lifts and a new entrance linked to the historic hall by escalators.
How long should I allow?
Two to three hours for the 11 exhibitions, plus time for the gardens.
Who runs the museum?
It is the Museu Paulista of the University of São Paulo.